Thousands of Greek students protested nationwide Wednesday against the high cost of living, citing grievances similar to those fueling recent demonstrations in France and across Europe.
“In Greece, like in France, we are demanding public, free education,” said Katia Koubousidou, head of a student union at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
“This will not be a one-off protest. We have a plan to continue our demonstrations.”
Police estimated at least 5,000 people attended the Athens protest. Similar protests also occurred in other major Greek cities.
Dozens of students earlier Tuesday set up tents on Athens’ Syntagma Square, facing Parliament and on a pedestrian street in Thessaloniki. State hospital doctors and civil servants also went on strike Wednesday.
Secondary school pupils and teachers are protesting poor infrastructure, a shortage of staff and insufficient public spending on education.
The conservative Greek government has sought in recent days to avoid any parallel with the protests and violence in France.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Monday that the country would “never return to the era of great social unrest” during the financial crisis more than a decade ago, marked by unpopular austerity measures.
French cities experienced some of the country’s worst rioting in recent years Saturday, with public buildings torched, hundreds of shops looted and more than 2,000 people arrested.
According to EU data agency Eurostat, Greece in 2023 spent 3.3% of national output on education, among the lowest share in the bloc and far below the European average of 4.7%.
“Authorities do not want (people to have) quality education, so we don’t understand what is going on,” said Maria, a 57-year-old municipal worker at the Athens protest.
Greek education unions and student groups have long called for additional spending on dilapidated buildings and more staff.
“School buildings are terrible and poorly maintained,” said Yiannis Papanikolaou, a 17-year-old school pupil from the Athens district of Exarchia.
“Falling plaster, broken windows, faulty radiators,” he said.
“I think something might change because of what France is doing. France will spur Greece,” he said.
Teachers’ union OLME said there is a shortage of 15,000 secondary school teachers nationwide.
Earlier this month, falling roof plaster injured a 14-year-old schoolboy in a classroom in Thermi, near the city of Thessaloniki in northern Greece.
A similar incident occurred Monday at the entrance of an Athens school, outside operating hours. A major school complex in Athens has been closed for almost two weeks over a gas leak scare under investigation, affecting some 4,000 pupils.
